Mission Viejo, CA Tornado History — 31 Tornadoes Since 1950
How many tornadoes has Mission Viejo, CA had?
Mission Viejo has had 31 tornadoes on record within 25 miles since 1950.
When was the most recent tornado near Mission Viejo?
The most recent tornado within 25 miles of Mission Viejo was an EF1 on January 19, 2010.
When is tornado season in Mission Viejo?
January is historically the peak month for tornadoes near Mission Viejo, with 7 on record. Spring through early summer (April–June) generally sees the highest activity across most of the central and southern United States.
At a Glance
Recent Tornado Activity Near Mission Viejo
The last 20 years of confirmed tornadoes within 25 miles — 3 total, averaging 0.1 per year over this window.
Tornadoes by Decade
Tornadoes by Enhanced Fujita Rating
F0–F5 ratings (pre-2007) are grouped with their EF equivalents. The Enhanced Fujita scale replaced the original Fujita scale in February 2007.
Tornadoes by Month
Have any tornadoes near Mission Viejo been fatal?
No fatalities are on record within 25 miles of Mission Viejo from any of the 31 tornadoes since 1950, though 7 injuries have been reported. NOAA Storm Prediction Center records.
Notable Tornadoes Near Mission Viejo
About Tornadoes in Mission Viejo
This overview was written July 29, 2026. The tornado counts and notable-event figures elsewhere on this page reflect the latest data and may differ from this summary.
Mission Viejo sits among the hills of the Saddleback Valley in southern Orange County, and its tornado history reads like a winter storm log. Rather than following the spring pattern familiar across the central United States, tornadoes near the city have tended to arrive with cool-season Pacific systems: F1 tornadoes touched down on November 7, 1966, on December 7, 1992, and on December 21, 1997, while F0 tornadoes came through on January 18, 1988, on February 8, 1994, and twice within a single week in February 2005, on the 19th and again on the 26th.
The area has also seen more forceful weather. An F2 tornado struck on November 7, 1966, tracking about 0.2 miles along a path roughly 10 yards wide and causing $2,750 in property damage; an F1 touched down in the area that same day.
The pattern has carried into recent decades. An EF0 appeared on September 22, 2007, well outside the winter months that dominate the local storm calendar, and an EF1 followed on January 19, 2010, squarely within the midwinter window when Pacific storms sweep this stretch of coastal Southern California.